Maoists took ten Nepali Army (NA) vehicles on the Mahendra Highway in Sarlahi district for nearly five hours Thursday on suspicion that the vehicles might be carrying weapons.

The rebels stopped the army vehicles – four heavy trucks, five jeeps and one armoured vehicle – which were en route to Itahari, Sunsari district, from Kathmandu at Paurahi area on the Mahendra Highway at around 8:00 a.m., state-owned Radio Nepal said. The Maoists released the vehicles after five hours as no weapons were found inside them.

The NA said the vehicles were carrying utensils and cloths for the army men in Itahari.

The Maoists released the vehicles in the presence of local media persons and human rights activists.